Be Yourself
by movedto-theycallmeruthless
Summary: Inuyasha has come to realize something— he wishes he were anything but himself. Because, well, nobody likes the half breed.


_**A/n:** This isn't my favorite thing I've ever written, but it's not my least favorite either. Partially inspired by a theme posed by someone on Live Journal, being 'Acting Naturally'. I probably hit waay out of the box with that one, Lol. But I couldn't figure out how to upload this to the contest, even if I tried to win xD. Yes, I'm so pro. And __I really wanted to post something special since today marks the beginning of my second year on this website and I decided that this comes up to par... kind of. Whatever. _

_I also realize that this can be quite confusing, so, let me explain. First two sections are Inuyasha as a child, being discriminated against by other children. Next three are the 50 years pre-Kagome, though the number 5 could be somewhere in between- whatever floats your boat. Last one is during the second movie since I'm very unoriginal. LOL. The roman numerals are there... just because. Lol._

_If you would review for me, It'd be a super way to kick off my second year as a writer. Plus, I hand out cookies :D._

* * *

**I.**

"What if they don't like me, Momma?" She smiled wistfully, wiping tears from her son's eyes.

"Shhh," It was almost a whisper. Warm arms wrapped around the young boy who's amber orbs seemed to be melting with apprehension before her very eyes. "Don't think that way, honey. Just go out there and be yourself, okay? I'm sure they'll love you."

Izayoi never thought about how wrong she could be.

* * *

**II.**

His hands balled into fists, just yearning to punch the nearest thing he could reach. _This isn't how it was supposed to happen._

Dirt was pressed to his face, some of it getting in his eyes and nose, making it hard to see and breathe. But cutting off his senses weren't their goal- not yet. _"Eat it!" _Mud was shoved into his mouth, some bugs in the mix to top it all off. The mud was beyond revolting, he felt himself choking on it. Instead of spitting it back up, more was shoved down the boy's throat; tears building up in the corner of his amber orbs.

"_No one likes you, half breed!"_

_

* * *

_

**III.**

"The Sacred Jewel isn't always causing destruction- if used correctly the jewel can rid of itself. If you were to use it to become a _human_ rather then a_ full demon_, it would be gone forever. I wouldn't have to dedicate myself to it anymore... and we could be together."

He tore his eyes from the small pink orb to look at the woman he supposedly loved. Would he be willing to give up all of his demon senses when he was already so desperately clinging to them?

Yes, surely, he would.

* * *

**IV.**

"_Die, Inuyasha!"_ An arrow was pointed at the hanyou, death looking him dead in the eye. Where had he gone wrong? He had kept up his side of the deal, even willing to _change, _to become human. For her. For _them._

And there she was, so prepared to kill him. The faint image of the little boy with his face pressed in the mud seemed to echo in his mind. Inuyasha felt weak, defenseless. Just like that little kid.

Another thing that hurt- the villagers were so quick to turn on him, to kill him. And he wasn't even trying to _be himself,_ he was willing to _be like them._ Where did that get him? That's right; pinned to a tree like a slave shackled to their master. Trapped. Alone.

* * *

**V.**

He was done being himself. Being a half demon... all its gotten him is rejected, by everyone. It was the worse advice he'd ever taken. He didn't want to be himself, he hated it all.

Simply '_being yourself'_ meant being discriminated against. Hated. Threatened. Trapped.

It made the dog-demon an easy target, the first ones to be killed. He was a half-breed.

* * *

**VI.**

Inuyasha looked into the mirror, seeing his human self leaving him so fleetingly. He wouldn't be '_that half demon'_ anymore. He would be a full youkai. And for the first time, while being in the hands of the enemy, he actually wanted to stay there, to go under the transformation.

"_I love you. I love you as a half demon."_

It were those words- those stupid seven words that made him stop and think about the matter at hand. That maybe... he shouldn't change. He should stay the same. Stay with Kagome and the others. Stay as a half demon.

And for the first time, he began to think that it might not be that bad to be himself just a little bit longer.


End file.
